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Quantum Entanglement in String Theory

High Energy Physics - Theory 2022-07-11 v1 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology Mathematical Physics math.MP

Abstract

We define entanglement entropy in string perturbation theory using the orbifold method -- a stringy analog of the replica method in field theory. To this end, we use the Newton series to analytically continue in NN the partition functions for string orbifolds on C/ZN\mathbb{C}/\mathbb{Z}_N conical spaces, known for all odd integer NN. In the concrete example of ten-dimensional Type-IIB strings, the one-loop partition function can be computed explicitly and the one-loop entropy can be expressed as a manifestly modular invariant series in terms of the Weierstrass \wp function. The convergence of the series is not evident but, from physical arguments based on holography, it is expected to yield a finite answer together with the tree level contribution. This method has a natural generalization to other string compactifications and to higher genus Riemann surfaces; it can provide a modular invariant definition of generalized entropy in a given string vacuum to all orders, of potential interest for the generalized second law of thermodynamics.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2207.03624,
  title  = {Quantum Entanglement in String Theory},
  author = {Atish Dabholkar},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2207.03624},
  year   = {2022}
}

Comments

22 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-24T12:18:01.661Z